Antibodies to mysterious pathogen found in animals in Oman, Canary Islands

By Tina Hesman Saey, 18:17 PM August 8, 2013

Camels may be intermediate hosts of a mysterious and deadly respiratory virus related to SARS that has sickened 94 people, killing 46, in parts of the Middle East, Europe and northern Africa.

Last year, the virus — now known as the Middle East respiratory syndrome, or MERS, coronavirus — revealed itself to scientists after a few people became sick with severe pneumonia (SN: 3/23/13, p. 5). After examining the virus’s DNA, researchers discovered that the pathogen is related to similar viruses t...